Palpitations
Friday July 31, 2009
Palpitations - an unusual awareness of the heart beats - are a common symptom. And while figuring out what is causing palpitations is not exactly rocket science, many patients and their doctors seem to have problems making an appropriate diagnosis.
Here's a discussion of the causes of palpitations, and how they should be evaluated.
Also, here's a chance to tell us your experience with palpitations. How did you and your doctor finally figure out what was causing them?
Comments
Palpitions can be often read to be anxiety neurosis induced symptoms.
There is 2 things to consider here. 1) Sib-conscious anxiety attacks; and 2) The thorough-ness of the investigation.
1) Doctors that claim that there is no evidence shown on investigation support evidence that the palpitations are panic attacks means that there is no further investigation to find out what the effect could be from in-case these palpitations are not anxiety attacks. This could lead to death from failure to identifity difficult to trace arrythmias so long as it is thought to be anxuety neurosis; particullarly if that patient has other illnesses such as autism or depression.
2) There are cases in which doctors cannot prove that the arrythmias exists, and when they can’t then if the patient does not feel aware of being anxious prior to the attack of palpitions, they are regarded as having *sub-conscious* panic attacks. But considering no one has proven the existance of the sub-conscious, it shows that this could lead to a comprimise of the treatment of something undetected that is very serious due to the failure of further investigation.
We do legally have a right to have such further investigation, but this should be offered, since it is a lot of responsibility for patient otherwise.
Ok, so the common tests do not determine what is causing the palpitations. So what tests are recommended? Must one wear a Holter monitoring until a random palpitation occurs?
I have been in menopause for over a year now and have experienced heart palpitations off and on but have been thoroughly checked out (Holter Monitor and echocardiogram) and all is well. I have had 2 incidences were I have had minor chest pain in stressful situations and attribute these to anxiety attacks. Should I be concerned about this and how long do the heart palpitations last? My blood pressure is 110/54 and low cholesterol.
I too have suffered terrible with palpitations during the menopause. My Cardiologist says that sometimes HRT can help although I do not wish to take this. I have had loads of tests and have a slight heart murmur but they say all is fine and its “all in my mind”, I find taking magnesium at night does help a little and try to exercise too.
I have a new subwoofer for my stereo system. Sometimes when it is playing, most common associated with home theater, I have a sensation in my chest that I think is cardiac palppitations. Is there any relationship between palpitations and subwoofers?
In May 06, I had a panic attack which led to me being admitted from the ER. They found I had severe CAD and PAD. I didn’t have a heart attack then. I still have occasional palipations. Can they be something to worry about?
I am 24 years old and started experiencing palpitations for a little over a year now. I went to the doctor wore a heart monitor for a month and they were not severe then. They adv me that there was nothing to worry about. I had a baby in 2006 and started getting them in 2008. I was just wondering do they ever stop should i keep going back for checkups.. If they happen allot should i worry? I hope to hear back from someone. Thanks
Angela
If your symptoms fail to improve, or especially if they worsen, it would be worth bringing it up again with your doctor.
DrRich
I experienced palpitations at 25 years while expecting my third baby. I mentioned it to my midwife and doctor who dismissed it as nothing to worry about. The symptoms of hyperthyroidism were building up in the year following the birth of my baby, for which I would never have known or seen a doctor about had it not been for the lump that finally began to appear in my throat – a goitre.
I am still taking treatment for this condition 11 years later, though a small dose, and have experienced mild palpitiations on rare occassions which last seconds. It has only been in this last week that they have been longer and more frequent then I’ve ever had before and in addition, in the weeks preceding this I’ve also had a few fuzzy head experiences, as though I’m going to pass out (very unsettling). At this point, I’m simply putting it down to the fact that there are a few gaps in my medication intake (nothing major) and once I’m more constant it should settle.
Always good to check palptiations out since they are all to easily dismissed without any investigations!